What Happens Once You Quit Smoking

Why Quit Smoking? Simple! Within the first 20 minutes of quitting, the healing process begins.

By the end of the first day after quitting smoking, you’ve decreased your chances of having a heart attack. The benefits will continue to improve your health and quality of life for years.

Within 12 hours after you have your last cigarette, your body will begin to heal itself. The levels of carbon monoxide and nicotine in your system will decline rapidly, and your heart and lungs will begin to repair the damage caused by cigarette smoke.

As your body begins to repair itself, instead of feeling better right away, you may feel worse for a while. It’s important to understand that healing is a process; it begins immediately, but it continues over time. These “withdrawal pangs” are really symptoms of the recovery process.

Immediately after quitting, many ex-smokers experience “symptoms of recovery” such as temporary weight gain caused by fluid retention, irregularity, and dry, sore gums or tongue. You may feel edgy, hungry, more tired, and more short-tempered than usual and have trouble sleeping and notice that you are coughing a lot. These symptoms are the result of your body clearing itself of nicotine, a powerful addictive chemical. Most nicotine is gone from the body in 2-3 days.